Question Answer Relationship (QAR)

Question Answer Relationship (QAR) Question Answer Relationship Purpose of Question-Answer Relationship (QAR) Strategy: QAR (T. E. Raphael, 1982; 1986) provides a basis for teaching three comprehension strategies: locating information; showing text structures and how the information is organised; and determining when an inference or reading between the lines is required. QAR shows students the relationship between questions and answers, how to categorise different types and levels of questions (Right There, Think and Search; the Author and You and On My Own questions), as well as how the text does not have all the answers. QAR helps students consider both information from the text and information from their own background knowledge. If students are asked to create their own questions, QAR also extends their writing ability. Explicitly Teaching QAR: STEP 1 Introduce the strategy showing the relationship of the Questions to Answers. An enlarged chart of this can be hung in the classroom where students can refer to it. STEP 2 Create QAR questions from small sections of text (not longer than five sentences) for each of the four levels. Using these questions, model how each level of the QAR questions can be identified and answered. Discuss the differences between questions using the class textbook and subject exam papers. Right There: the answer is found in the text, usually as a phrase contained within one sentence. Think and Search: while the answer is in the text, the student is required to combine separate sections or pieces of text to answer the question. Author and You: as the answer is not directly stated in the text, the student draws on prior knowledge as well as what the author has written to answer the question. On Your Own: requires students to think about what is already known from their reading and experience (prior knowledge) to formulate an answer. STEP 3 Give the students sample questions to answer in small groups and identify which of the QAR levels they used. Step 4 Reading and Learning Strategy After Reading Strategy Have students work individually on questions from longer passages. Get students to examine the types of questions in their textbooks.

Question-Answer Relationship (QAR) In secondary school you need to know HOW to find the information that is important in your textbook and how to ask different types of questions and find the answers to different question types. QAR IN THE BOOK Right There The answer is in one place in the text. You can put your finger on it! Words from the question and words that answer the questions are often right there in the same sentence. Reread Scan Look for keywords. Think and Search The answer is in several places in the text. You put together (think and search) different parts of the text to find the answer. Skim or reread Look for important information Piece together different parts from the text to answer the question. IN MY HEAD Author and You The answer is not in the text. Think about how what you know and how what s in the text fit together Reread Think about what you already know and what the text says On My Own The answer is not in the text. Think about what you already know Think about what you ve read before Make connections. Predict. Source: T. E. Raphael, 1982; 1986 2

Using QAR with set questions After reading the text below work with a partner to decide the question-answer relationship for each question. Explain why it fits that QAR category. Sam has lived in Merrytown his entire life. However, tomorrow Sam and his family would be moving 100 miles away to Rosslare. Sam hated the idea of having to move. He would be leaving behind his best friend, Pat and the local football team he had played on for the last two years. And to make matters worse, he was moving on his birthday! Sam would be thirteen tomorrow. He was going to be a teenager! He wanted to spend the day with his friends, not watching his house being packed up and put in a van. He thought that moving was a horrible way to spend his birthday. What about a party? What about spending the day with his friends? What about what he wanted? That was just the problem. No one ever asked Sam what he wanted. 1. What is the name of the town where Sam and his family are moving? 2. Why was Sam not looking forward to the next day? 3. What might Sam do to make moving to a new town easier for him? 4. In what ways can moving to a new house and to a new town be exciting? If you were a teacher and there were 30 marks in total for this exercise, how would you divide the marks out between the different questions? Should each question be worth the same amount of marks or not? Why? Adapted from: McMillian McGraw Hill 3

Question-Answer Relationship (QAR) QAR provides four levels of questions Right There, Think and Search, The Author and You, and On Your Own to indicate how the question is related to the text. In The Text RIGHT THERE The answer is stated in the text. THINK AND SEARCH The answer is stated in the text but you must combine pieces of information to fully answer the question. In My Head AUTHOR AND ME The author gives clues that are combined with what you know to figure out the answer. ON MY OWN Knowledge of the text /topic is needed but the answer comes from your head! + 4

Using QAR After reading the text below work with a partner to decide the question- answer relationship for each question. Explain why it fits that QAR category. Paris Whitney Hilton has packed in many different careers in her short life. She has been, or is, a model, actress, writer, singer and businesswoman. She is also a celebrity socialite and daughter of the Hilton Hotel family. Hilton has also spent time in prison for driving violations. Reports are she will appear in the book of Guinness World Records as the world's "Most Overrated Celebrity". Hilton was born with a silver spoon in her mouth in New York City in 1981. She grew up moving between exclusive homes in the States and France. She attended elite schools but wasn t so strong academically. She was expelled from one school for violating its rules. She did not go to university but decided to be famous instead. When she was 19, Paris signed with a leading modelling agency. She was immediately very successful. She appeared in numerous high-profile advertising campaigns for some of the world s top brands. She also developed a reputation for being New York s top party girl. She used her fame to launch her own perfumes, which are all best sellers. Hilton branched out into acting and has appeared in several movies and TV shows. Her biggest role was as a co-star in the reality series The Simple Life. In 2004, she founded Heiress Records and released her debut album, which sold poorly. Hilton has also written two best-selling books. Her plans are to continue promoting herself to become even more famous. 1. Where was Paris Hilton born? 2. How has Paris Hilton been born with a sliver spoon in her mouth? 3. Why do you think she is considered the world s Most Overrated Celebrity? 4. What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of being a celebrity? * If you were a teacher and there were 30 marks in total for this exercise, how would you divide the marks out between the questions above? Explain your answer. 5

QAR Activity with Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry Directions: Read the following passages from chapter 5 and answer the questions. Passage 1 T.J., however, was surprisingly subdued when he settled into the wagon; I suppose that at threethirty in the morning even T.J. s mouth was tired. But by dawn, when the December sun was creeping warily upward shooting pale streams of buff-colored light through the forest, he was fully awake and chattering like a cockatoo. His endless talk made me wish that he had not managed to wheedle his way so speedily back into Stacey s good graces, but Big Ma, her face furrowed in distant thoughts, did not hush him. Question: How did Cassie feel about T.J. s constant talking? The answer to this question is right there in the text. Answer: Passage 2 Mr. Barnett walked to another counter and began filling the order, but before he finished a white woman called, Mr. Barnett, you waiting on anybody just now? Mr. Barnett turned around. Just them, he said, indicating us with a wave of his hand. What can I do for you, Miz Emmaline? The woman handed him a list twice as long as T.J. s and the storekeeper, without a word of apology to us, proceeded to fill it. Question: Why would Mr. Barnett be so quick to abandon the children? How might they feel right now? To answer this question you must think about what you know, what the author says, and how they fit together. Answer: 6

Passage 3 I watched him go, but did not follow. Instead, I ambled along the sidewalk trying to understand why Mr. Barnett had acted the way he had. More than once I stopped and gazed over my shoulder at the mercantile. I had a good mind to go back in and find out what had made Mr. Barnett so mad. I actually turned once and headed toward the store, then remembering what Mr. Barnett had said about my returning, I swung back around, kicking at the sidewalk, my head bowed. Question: Why is Cassie so indecisive about returning to the store? Think and search about this question and you ll find the answer. It is there in the text, but you may have to search for it. Answer: Passage 4 Stop, Cassie! Big Ma said. «Stop, it s me. We re going home now. Not fore she pologizes to my gal, y all ain t, said Mr. Simms. Big Ma gazed down at me, fear in her eyes, then back at the growing crowd. She jus a child Tell her, Aunty Big Ma looked at me again, her voice cracking as she spoke. Go on, child... apologize. Question: Do you think that Cassie s apologising to Lillian Jean will improve the relationship between the Logans and the Simmes? What makes you think that way? The text can t help you answer this one. You must use your experience and opinions and answer this question on your own. Answer: 7

QAR with your Textbook Look at the questions in your textbook chapters and find examples of the different question types. Put examples of the different types of QAR questions in the chart below. 8

QAR Poster Right There RIGHT THERE In The Text The answer is stated in the text. 1. The answer is usually contained in one sentence and is easy to find. 2. The same words that make up the answer are often found in the question. 3. Question stems can begin with : When is/was...? Who is/was...? What is/was...? Where is/was...? 9

QAR Poster Think and Search THINK and SEARCH In The Text The answer is stated in the text but you must combine pieces of information to fully answer the question. 1. The answer is found in more than one place. The parts must be put together to answer the question. 2. The words in the question may or may not be the same words used to answer the question. 3. Question stems can begin with: Contrast... Explain... What were...? Compare... Summarise... 10

QAR Poster Author and Me AUTHOR and ME In My Head The author gives clues that are combined with what you know to figure out the answer. + 1. The reader must read the text to answer the question, as well as use prior knowledge and experience. 2. The reader must look for clues and evidence and prove the answer with details. 3. Question stems can begin with: How can you tell...? How do you know...? 4. The reader must read between the lines as the answer is not explicit in the text. 11

QAR Poster On My Own On My Own In My Head Knowledge of the text/topic is needed but the answer comes from your head. 1. The reader need not read the text in order to answer the question and must use her/his own ideas and opinions to answer the questions. 2. Question stems can begin with: Do you believe...? How do you know...? How would you...? Have you ever...? 3. The reader relies on prior knowledge and experiences. 12

QAR with your Textbook Classify and then answer the questions from your reading. Right There: The answer is in one place in the text. Think and Search: The answer is in several parts of the text. You put together. Author and You: You need to think about what you already know, what the author tells you in the text and how it fits together. On My Own: You can answer this question without reading the text. You use your background or prior knowledge to answer the question. Questions Classify Questions Answer Question 1. Right There Think and Search Author and You On Your Own 2. Right There Think and Search Author and You On Your Own 3. Right There Think and Search Author and You On Your Own 4. Right There Think and Search Author and You On Your Own 13

QAR Write Your Own Read the text and write your own QAR questions. Then swap your QAR question with another student and see can you find the answers. Compare questions and answers when finished. QAR Questions Right There: The answer is in one place in the text. Think and Search: The answer is in several parts of the text. You put together. Author and You: You need to think about what you already know, what the author tells you in the text and how it fits together. On My Own: You can answer this question without reading the text. You use your background or prior knowledge to answer the question. Answer 1. Right There 2. Think and Search 3. Author and You 4. On Your Own 14

Question Stems These question stems can be used to create your own higher and lower order questions. Lower order questions tend to be what or when questions. Higher order questions tend to be why and how questions which encourage you to think more deeply about a concept (idea) or the reasons for an answer. What is? What did? What can? What would? What will? What might? Where or when is? Where or when did? Where or when can? Where or when would? Where or when will? Where or when might? Which is? Which did? Which can? Which would? Which will? Which might? Who is? Who did? Who can? Who would? Who will? Who might? Why is? Why did? Why can? Why would? Why will? Why might? How is? How did? How can? How would? How will? How might? 15

Question Creation Chart (Q Chart) Create questions by using one word from the left hand column and one word from the top row. The farther down and to the right you go, the more complex and higher level the questions. Is Did Can Would Will Might Who What When Where How Why 16

Understanding and Using QAR 1. What is QAR? 2. How do you use QAR? 3. Why use QAR? 4. How does it help you read and understand? 17

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